There are two or three brands I find acceptable, but I honestly like making my own. Basically some vegetables and beans with rolled outs. A lot tastier and very easy to make.

I agree with your post except for one part.

“WHat is that a vege-burger how can you eat that healthy crap”

I have uttered that sentence myself many times, except with the word ‘healthy’ removed. The ‘vege’ in the name indicates the absence of meat and doesn’t guarantee the presence of any vegetables. More often than not, those things are full of processed garbage, even if they fit into a vegan or vegetarian diet.

1. As far as the diets on reversing heart disease, I got that information from Esselstyn’s book “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.” He refers to Ornish as the only other diet that arrests the disease.

2. Why doesn’t the American Heart Association push this diet? There are many reasons, depending on your level of skepticism about the government. But here are a few reasons that come to my mind:

–These diets go against big industry Esselstyn and Ornish don’t allow any meat, little if no dairy, and no added oils whatsoever. Such a diet creates a lot of big-moneyed enemies.

–Would anyone follow these diets? I think people would, if given proper motivation. But critics point out that Americans already fail to follow very moderate recommendations, like having fat at 30 percent. If you make it even harder, most people might just give up entirely rather than even do a little good. This is a public policy question. My own take is that the health organizations are supposed to tell the truth. They can’t be in the business of judging what people are capable of doing. In fact, that’s what is causing distrust today. People follow low-fat diets or others and fail. They blame the authorities when they don’t actually improve.

–These diets aren’t sexy. Anyone can tell you about eating fruits and vegetables. But it’s not sexy. People follow diets that deal with the glycemic index and deal with lipoproteins.

3. As you point out, the diets can be more accurately described as eliminating the preventable causes of heart disease. It would be very hard, if not impossible, for someone to be overweight on these diets. But yes, there are some freak accidents.

Dr. McDougall also recommends a similar diet. He was also asked why such lifestyle changes have been neglected. He points to the medical practice and the influence of big pharma. If you have a good 80 minutes to spare, I highly recommend this free e-lecture. He’s a great speaker:

http://www.drmcdougall.com/store_electures.html#ACLM_Presentation

Thank you

You write:

“The only diet scientifically proven to arrest and prevent heart disease, for instance, is a low-fat plant foods diet (as shown by Ornish and Esselstyn).”

Do you have any more information on that and also if what you say is true (and I have no reason to doubt this) does the American Heart Association actively push this diet?

Finally, a bit nit-picky but I doubt if the diet ‘prevents’ the heart disease as if you’re hugely overweight AND follow the diet and then run for a bus you may still get a heart attack!

As far as the article, I think it does raise some good criticisms of the book’s motive. I felt some of that skepticism myself. What I keep in mind is that any diet or person has motives and personal flaws. What’s important practically is which decision to make. The only diet scientifically proven to arrest and prevent heart disease, for instance, is a low-fat plant foods diet (as shown by Ornish and Esselstyn).

The Weston A Price response was also written by someone of questionable expertise. For more, the author of the China Study thoroughly defends his position here:

http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/campbell_china_response.htm